Improvement in chin-rests for violins



HQ W. WHITE.

Chin-Rests for Violins.

Patented Nov. 3,1874.

FIGJ

WITNESSES INVENTOR flttorneys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM W. WHITE, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHIN-RESTS FOR VlOLlNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,613, dated November 3, 1874; application filed August 25, 1874.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM W. WHITE, of Anderson, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Chin-Rests for Violins, of which the following is a specification:

The subject-matter of my invention is a chinrest provided with an attaching-clamp, which is connected to the rest proper by means of a screw constructed with a long thread, and fitting in a deep screw-socket, so that the said screw not only constitutes the means of attaching the rest, but also affords means of adjustment to fit violins of various thickness. My improvements consist, secondly, in the employment of a set-screw affording an adjustment in a direction transverse to the, first, by which I am enabled to change the relative angles of the bearing-surface of the clamphook and the back of the rest proper to suit variations in the convexity of the violin.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a rear view of a chin-rest illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is an under-side view. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective "iew on a smaller scale, illustrating the application of the device to a violin. Fig. 6 is a top view. Fig. 7 is a front view of the rest proper. Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8, Fig. 7.

The last three views show the preferred form of the rest proper.

A represents the rest proper, formed with a pad, a, to bear on the face of the violin. B is a screw, which attaches adjustably to the rest A a clamp-hook, O, which is also formed with a suitable pad, 0. The head of the screw B is elongated, to afford an extended bearing for the shank of the clamp G, and it is preferably formed with a deep nick or slot, b, so that it may be turned by means of a knife or any flat blade, in the absen cc of a screw-driver. D is a set-screw threaded in the shank of the clamp O, in a direction transverse to the setscrew B, and bearing upon the head of the latter, as shown. The attaching-screw B is made with a long thread, and the rest 0 with a threaded socket of sufficient length, so that the same device which attaches the clamp affords means of adjustment.

In practice I prefer to make the wooden part 0 of the rest in the shape shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, with a flat face, and otherwise compact and light and neat in appearance, rendering the rest less bulky, adapting it to lie closer to the violin than those in common use, and enabling the player to hold the violin with greater ease and comfort.

The socket is protected by a bushing, E, of soft metal, in which the screw-thread may be swaged after an insertion, a flange, 6, being then upset or punched over in a manner to prevent turning out.

The operation is as follows: By adjusting the screw B in or out, the clamp G is adapted to hold the rest firmly in position on a violin of any size or depth, the screw being employed to firmly clamp and secure the rest after it is set in position. The supplemental set-screw D affords a secondary adjustment, so as to throw the bearing-surface of the chinrest up or down to accommodate itself to the oval or convexity of the top of any violin.

I am thus enabled, without the necessity of a spring or elastic attachment, to adjust my chinrest immovably and securely in position without violence to the instrument. The two adjustments provided adapt it to be applied with perfect success to violins of any form.

The following is claimed as new:

1. The chin-restA and attaching clamp-hook 0, connected by a set-screw, B, constructed as set forth, and working in a threaded socket in the rest A.

2. The combination of the supplen'iental setscrew D with the clamp-hook (J, attachin screw B, and chin-rest A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

IIIBAM W. WHITE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM L. BROWN, EDWARD BROWN. 

